


aurora borealis

by queenofthekites



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, THE BEST, and i really love atla, but free s3 has me feeling hardcore soft bro, but srsly give me waterbending haru thats like, enjoy !!!!, i wanna write more of this, i would tag makoto but hes mentioned like Once, if i write more the ratings and tags could change, im on the way to skipping class tmrw please appreciate this so i know im missing school for a reason, im supposed to be doing my college english assignment, maybe when i can actually write lmao, same for natsuya lol, so i just spontaneously wrote this at three am, soft for ikuharu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 20:38:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15893700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofthekites/pseuds/queenofthekites
Summary: The one where Ikuya is The Avatar and might be a little (read: completely and irrevocably) in love with the water tribe prince that's training him.





	aurora borealis

**Author's Note:**

> i brainstormed an ikuharu atla au and im kind of in love with it, take whatever this is for now i guess and if more is wanted i will try to provide.  
> also i apologize in advance for any grammar/spelling mistakes it is now 4am  
> please comment !!! it brightens my day :')))

Ikuya likes to watch Haru train.

It isn’t very often, not nearly as much as he’d like to, because Ikuya is always busy training himself, always working under Haru’s keen eyes until his muscles tire and his body aches for rest. Until Haru looks at him with something akin to approval for the day. Ikuya finds himself working longer and harder in hopes of receiving more. 

But long after Ikuya has finished his lessons and left to attend to his other duties, Haru will continue to hone his abilities. Sometimes Ikuya will sit by the window and watch Haru from his room. Sometimes he strays closer, but not too close. There is a pure beauty and grace in the way the young waterbender moves when he is completely focused that Ikuya would never dare to interrupt. It’s almost an art, the way Haru can call on the water and bend it to his will so wondrously. It swirls, glides, slashes, _dances_ around Haru in a way that looks effortless. Haru hardly needs to bat an eye in order to bring grown men to their knees.

His talent at his young age of fifteen is already monumental, and on a good day, Haru can even keep pace with some of the guards of the palace. Him being the prince, of course, the guards are never allowed to bring actual harm to him, but Haru never even lets them come that close. When Haru trains alone, Ikuya is allowed to admire and focus on his movements only, sometimes even mimicking them if he feels like it. Most of the time though, Ikuya is just content to watch him. Ikuya already thought Haru was beautiful just as he was, but Haru when he’s bending is a true sight to behold. He is purely in his element around the water, the son of the ocean herself. That’s what the others will say about him from time to time, Ikuya hears it often. And he can’t help but to think that they are right. Haru moves with the precision and grace of a seasons old waterbender in his youth, and there is no one who quite can move the way that Haru does. The way Ikuya tries to.

(“The more you continue to work with the water, the easier it will be for you to find your rhythm. Just move, Ikuya. Breathe, and let the water respond to you. Feel it all around you. Flow.”)

Ikuya considers himself quite lucky to even be able to spend time with Haru, let alone train with him, and not just because he’s the most talented young waterbender the North can offer (though Ikuya has to admit that’s a significant part of it). Ikuya sees the way the palace girls and even some of the boys look at Haru from time to time, like he is god walking among them. He just might be, Ikuya will sometimes think to himself, when he walks with Haru and sees the glances thrown their way. Ikuya noted that Haru often moved faster on those occasions. He can’t blame any of those boys and girls, though. Ikuya thinks he might look at him just the same.

(“You have stars in your eyes, Ikuya. He’s just as normal as the rest of us.”

“Shut up, Makoto.”)

Ikuya knows he must look at Haru like he’s the world and more, but as he watches the young prince encase himself in a shimmering dome of water and ice that reflects the moon and echoes the night sky, he remembers he hardly cares what anyone else might think of his musings.

Haru looks up then, to where Ikuya sits halfway enclosed by the tall pillars and trying to contain the rising heat in his cheeks. And he smiles, in that soft way he does when watches the kids play in the snow when it falls heavy, the way he did when Ikuya was exploring the palace for the first time and could only gape in awe and wonder, taking everything in with the excitement of a young child. It makes Ikuya’s blood race and his heart pound _so_ hard, he thinks Natsuya might be able to hear it all the way from The Fire Nation.

Haruka Nanase made up all of the stars in Ikuya’s eyes. All that shined bright and burned hot and moved freely. 

And as long as he’s been alive, Ikuya has always loved seeing the stars.

**Author's Note:**

> ikuya is so gay lmao. let me know if you all liked this <3 comments please !!!! talk to me about how cute ikuharu is !!!! v soft much love !!!!!!!!


End file.
